The Cavs are 3-2, with one loss coming on the road in OT against a quality team. A much better start than I expected.

The Cavs are hitting 42.3% of their 3's, which is unsustainable. Boobie is leading the way at 61%. It seems like the PG's can take the ball into the paint, draw in the defense, and kick it out for an open 3-pointer anytime they want. I expect opponents will adjust their defenses to reduce the number of open looks.

The Cavs are averaging 102 ppg, which is way more than I expected. I thought this team would struggle to score, but that's not been the case. I didn't look for Irving to score 18-20 ppg this early in the season.

On the downside, the Cavs are hitting only 65% of their free throws. That cost them a win against Indiana, where they missed 13. TT has been the biggest offender, but I think most of the roster is below their career norms. They can beat the Detroits, New Jersys, and Charlottes without hitting the free throws, but it will cost them against better competition.

McLeod mentioned that the Cavs are leading the league in preventing fast break points, allowing only five per game. They're forcing opponents to grind out points in the half court offense and all but eliminating easy transition buckets.

The Cavs have outscored their opponents in the second half in four of five games. This may be due in part to Scott using 10 players, which keeps everybody fresh for the second half.

Would you trade Irving and Sessions for any pair of point guards in the league? Between the two they're averaging 25.8 points, 11.8 assists, and 7.4 rebounds per game. Those are Magic Johnson numbers, except Magic didn't play 48 minutes. As Irving gains experience those numbers should only improve.

Once Casspi settles down and gets back to his career norms, modest as they are, the starting unit will be a little better. But right now he's a disaster.

Now that the league has some film on this year's edition, we'll see if the Cavs can maintain this level of play. The main change I expect is that defenses will stay on the 3-point shooters rather than collapsing into the paint, opening things up underneath.

Irving is an effing stud. It's plain as day after five games. He'll be a perennial all-star by season three.

Tristan Thompson as well. If they teach this kid how to hit a 16 foot jumper and hit 65% from the line, look out. He'll be a 14 and 8 guy next year at a very young age, I believe that.

Early season schedule is very soft. They'll still lose a lot more than they win cause of no interior defense and general youth.

But this much is clear, even this early:

1. Byron Scott is the right coach2. Kyrie is a legit #1 pick in a shit draft, legit top three in any draft3. Chris Grant was right on Tristan T, we were all wrong4. Cavs will not only win more games that we thought, they'll be fun to watch5. With the right coach and point guard in place, and an apparent hit on Tristan, the rebuild should be a lot quicker than we all thought

"It's like dating a woman who hates you so much she will never break up with you, even if you burn down the house every single autumn." ~ Chuck Klosterman on Browns fans relationship with the Browns

The fact we are having our first back-to-back and we have played pretty much patsies makes me weary putting much weight into our team play. Isolating individual players is fine but because of sample size quantitative analysis is kinda FEH. The qualitative stuff, flow, handle of the game, leadership for Irving and Thompson seem to be point in the right direction. Also the higher basketball IQ of the two players seems to limit WTF moments.

"When a man with money meets a man with experience, the man with experience leaves with money and the man with money leaves with experience."

IMO, the teams the Cavs have beaten so far have been too shitty to gauge any progress off of. Yes Kyrie looks great and TT looks real good, but I want to see these guys up against a few top-tier teams before I really think about forming an opinion on them. Good God, they couldn't have had a first half-month schedule be any easier. But, come 2nd half of January, we'll see what they're made of.

I've felt a little guilty hoping for losses for this team. The upcoming West Coast road trip should put them back on track lottery pick, though I see them staying ahead of half a dozen teams unless they change the roster. There are some brutal NBA squads this year. Still hoping for a top 5 pick.

scott wrote:I've felt a little guilty hoping for losses for this team. The upcoming West Coast road trip should put them back on track lottery pick, though I see them staying ahead of half a dozen teams unless they change the roster. There are some brutal NBA squads this year. Still hoping for a top 5 pick.

They're going to play an equal number of home and away games by the end of the season. The schedule has them playing 9 of their first 12 on the road, so they'll surely be below .500 after this trip. But I don't see why that puts them "on track" for a lottery pick. Although I expect them to end up with one.

Why can't Boobie hit 65% of his 3's this year? I suppose it's theoretically possible, but it's never been done, which is why I think his current pace is unsustainable.